King of Pain
by Charon the Sabercat
Summary: Yeah, not like me, I know. Jack's feeling a bit despondent. I can't do anything, and neither can Double F. Maybe Sally could... Written to King of Pain By the Police


King of Pain  
  
Disclaimer: Okay, here's the basic rundown. It's been a few years since the whole Christmas incident, and Jack's had a relapse into his old misery. Maybe somebody can help him.... A little sad, but everyone has to have at least one day every now and then to be miserable. This was written because I felt like writing it, and because I was in a REALLY miserable mood. And I like this song. Well, it was either this, or 'Land of Confusion' by Genesis, so be grateful.  
  
Sally happily picked the ginger that she had carefully planted a few weeks ago. Sandy Claws needed the ginger for his cookies, but his head gardener elf was on vacation in St. Patrick's Day. She startled as a few voices walked past her.  
  
"Poor guy, being camped out on that hill all day."  
  
"Well, he's not in a good mood."  
  
"He's the Pumpkin King! What about in the movie? He said he was going to be all happy and stuff, and there's the Sally factor-"  
  
"Everybody needs a day or two to be upset every now and then. If not, the misery'll grow until it takes you over."  
  
Sally peeked out from behind a fence to see who the voices belonged to. She sighed. It was them again: Charon and Double F. Did they ever go away?  
  
Double F wore a pink pullover, which contrasted her brown fur (which had been shampooed to a healthy shine). Her hair was done down, and it had been neatly brushed and straightened. She wore a tiny, silver chain necklace. The strange tri-colored bracelet she wore the first time she met them was gone. It was replaced by a mostly black ribbon which she had tied around her upper arm. Her wings were a little scruffy and wind blown, and her tail needed a quick combing, but other than that, she was fine.  
  
Charon wore a pair of flair jeans and a dirty, white t-shirt. Her curly brown hair had been done into a loose ponytail which, just like last time, was a completely un-brushed mess. Did she sleep with her hair like that? It looked that way. Her paws were covered in dried mud, as were Double F's. Charon carried a 'sketch diary', as she insisted it be called, with a mechanical pencil in the spirals of the diary.  
  
Sally was surprised that they were talking about Jack. She silently snuck up behind them, following them intently out the gate and into the graveyard.  
  
Jack stood at the top of moonlight hill, the gentle breeze teasing the tails of his suit. Dust billowed off of the ground and into the air. Jack looked to the ground, a forlorn and distant look on his face.  
  
Charon made sure to walk gently, so he wouldn't hear her. Double F simply walked normally, because she hardly ever made a sound when she walked anyway.  
  
"Mister Skellington?" Charon asked, tightening her grip on her sketch diary.  
  
"Hello Charon. Hello, Gina."  
  
"Um, I prefer Double F, sir," Double F corrected. "How did you know I was here?"  
  
"I could hear your breathing."  
  
"He's got good hearing," Double F told her friend.  
  
"I guess so," Charon nodded. "Is something wrong, sir?"  
  
"I've been thinking," Jack spoke to them, but looked at no one. "All of the holidays have something to do with something positive. Love, family, a special heritage. And what is mine about? Scaring people."  
  
"He's never had good luck when it comes to other holidays, eh?" Charon asked her friend. Double F smiled, not really in the mood to laugh. "Please, Mr. Skellington, Halloween is Hardly about scaring people anymore. It's about dressing up and getting candy now!"  
  
"Yeah!" Double F agreed. "Have you seen the amount of kids who dress up as fairy princesses, dogs, and clowns now?"  
  
"Evil Danny Elfman clowns," Charon giggled.  
  
Double F looked at Charon in confusion. "Evil Danny-?"  
  
"Brave Little Toaster thing, you wouldn't get it," Charon shrugged. "Plus, a whole bunch of kids don't even wear costumes now!"  
  
"It's a real shame," Double F shook her head.  
  
"That's beside the point," Jack sighed. "For years, my holiday has brought nothing but fear and misery. Some king I am."  
  
"Mr. Skellington..." Charon's ears lowered a teensy bit. This happened when she was upset or worried; she was both. Double F did likewise, in a way; her wings drooped, falling limply to the ground.  
  
Being around Jack at this time made everything seem dead. The life... almost... it was drained out of you. It left.... and left nothing but misery. Sally, who had been listening from behind the two girls, in plain sight, lost her cheerful spirit which usually filled her. She watched her best friend, the Pumpkin King, in his torturous enviroment.  
  
"Some king.... Jack Skellington, King of Misery." Jack stood straighter, but still hung his shoulders miserably. "King of Torment. King of Pain."  
  
"Oh no, not again..." Double F monotoned.  
  
"What'd you expect?" Charon slumped forward, forgetting her nearly perfect posture. "This always happens when we're around..."  
  
(The wind blows in short little burst, in time with the music.)  
  
Jack: There's a little black spot on the sun today  
  
It's the same old thing as yesterday  
  
There's a black hat caught in a high tree top  
  
There's a flag pole rag and the wind won't stop  
I have stood here before inside the pouring rain  
  
With the world turning circles running 'round my brain  
  
I guess I'm always hoping that you'll end this reign  
  
But it's my destiny to be the king of pain  
(The wind intensifies as the music picks up.)  
  
Jack: There's a little black spot on the sun today  
  
(Charon and Double F: That's my soul up there)  
  
Jack: It's the same old thing as yesterday  
  
(Charon and Double F: That's my soul up there)  
  
Jack: There's a black hat caught in a high tree top  
  
(Charon and Double F: That's my soul up there)  
  
Jack: There's a flag pole rag and the wind won't stop  
  
(Charon and Double F: That's my soul up there)  
(The wind now beating on them relentlessly, like a hurricane. The girls' hair is flying everywhere.)  
  
Jack, Charon, and Double F: I have stood here before inside the pouring rain  
  
With the world turning circles running 'round my brain  
  
I guess I'm always hoping that you'll end this reign  
  
But it's my destiny to be the king of pain  
Jack: There's a fossil that's trapped in a high cliff wall  
  
(Charon and Double F: That's my soul up there)  
  
Jack: There's a dead salmon frozen in a waterfall  
  
(Charon and Double F: That's my soul up there)  
  
Jack: There's a blue whale beached by a springtide's ebb  
  
(Charon: That's my soul up there)  
  
Jack: There's a butterfly trapped in a spider's web  
  
(Double F: That's my soul up there)  
Jack, Charon, and Double F: I have stood here before inside the pouring rain  
  
With the world turning circles running 'round my brain  
  
I guess I'm always hoping that you'll end this reign  
  
But it's my destiny to be the king of pain  
Charon: There's a king on a throne with his eyes torn out  
  
Jack: There's a blind man looking for a shadow of doubt  
  
Double F: There's a rich man sleeping on a golden bed  
  
Jack: There's a skeleton choking on a crust of bread  
  
King of pain  
Jack: There's a red fox torn by a huntsman's pack  
  
(Charon and Double F: That's my soul up there)  
  
Jack: There's a black winged gull with a broken back  
  
(Charon and Double F: That's my soul up there)  
  
Jack: There's a little black spot on the sun today  
  
It's the same old thing as yesterday  
Jack, Charon, and Double F: I have stood here before inside the pouring rain  
  
With the world turning circles running 'round my brain  
  
I guess I'm always hoping that you'll end this reign  
  
But it's my destiny to be the king of pain  
Jack: King of pain  
  
King of pain  
  
King of pain  
  
I'll always be king of pain  
"Jack, you're ridiculous."  
  
Jack, Charon, and Double F all jumped as Sally finally said something.  
  
"Sally?" Jack stepped off of the hill.  
  
"Jack, you should know that you're not defined by what you do, but who you are!" Sally reached over and held Jack's hand. "You're a good person. And the girls are right, Halloween's not really about scaring people anymore."  
  
"Maybe you're right," Jack smiled wearily.  
  
"Come on, Double F, let's go," Charon grabbed her friend's wrist and pulled her away.  
  
"But I wanna stay!"  
  
"Some situations are best left to adults, my friend. Besides, who else would be able to talk some sense into the Pumpkin King?"  
  
"Lock, Shock, and Barrel?" Double F asked naively.  
  
Charon stood still and stared for a second before-  
  
"GAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAA! BWAHAHAHAHA! HAHAHAHAHAHA!"  
  
"HEHEHEHEHEHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!! YEAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"  
  
"That's funny!" Charon slapped Double F's shoulder. "That's funny! Thank you, I needed that!"  
  
"Your welcome!"  
  
Charon laughed and Double F cheered as they left Halloween. 


End file.
